Maya Angelou Thought She’d Be Invited To More White House Stuff

WINSTON-SALEM, NC—Saying that she didn’t want to be presumptuous but had thought her celebrated literary career, numerous academic honors, and tireless political activism would put her "pretty high up" on guests lists, Maya Angelou told reporters Monday she just always assumed she would be invited to more White House stuff. "I’m not saying I need to be a regular, but there’s stuff going on there pretty much every week that I’d be perfect for," said Angelou, adding that she was surprised last month when she was not invited to speak at "A Celebration of American Poetry, Past and Present," which she described as an event that was "so obviously in [her] wheelhouse." "I would have been more than happy to write a poem for, say, a Women’s History Month event featuring the first lady, but March went by and no one’s aide or secretary ever called—not once. C’mon, that’s bullshit." At press time, Angelou had circled the University of Kentucky basketball team’s White House visit on her calendar and said she plans to just show up and see what happens.